Let's talk your favorite .40 powders

[Obvious]

It's been a year since my last post here looking for recommendations and I feel I've learned and tried a good bit. I've mostly settled on 180 grain bullets in the "whatevers cheapest" category, but I do think I prefer blue bullets. I've burned through roughly 7,000 rounds using a pound of E3. It gave an recoil impulse I didn't mind and that i got used to, but after looking at the burn rate charts its like number two for fastest burning powder. I'm curious what you guys have found "pleasant" to shoot while still making major PF. As I understand it, faster burning powders are much more spikey and will create a sharper recoil impulse while slower burning powders spread that out over a bit more time. I've tried titegroup and I'm not a fan of how filthy it makes the gun, and some of my matches are indoors which creates too much smoke. N320 is pretty pricey, last I paid was $65 for 1# locally. I'm experimenting with WSF in my 9mm loads and might try them in .40, but curious to see what others here like. 

[Joe4d]

WST, at  decent pressure it burns clean, takes up alot more room in the case and doesnt smoke coated bullets. Its not an expensive -powder.. Some claim its reverse temp sensitive but I have never found it to be an issue. I generally dont shoot in extreme conditions though.

[scooterj]

I use both N320 and WST. If I didn’t tell you the difference, you probably wouldn’t notice. The biggest difference is the smell. 

[Obvious]

33 minutes ago, scooterj said:

I use both N320 and WST. If I didn’t tell you the difference, you probably wouldn’t notice. The biggest difference is the smell. 

WSF is the slower burning closer to N340, and WST is a bit faster like N320 right? I might grab a pound of WST to play with if it’s so close to N320 for half the price around me. 

[dapribek]

When I reloaded, I liked Power Pistol. It’s a slower Bullseye. 

[zzt]

I experimented with a lot of powders when I started reloading for Limited.  I like the faster powders much better than the slower powders.  Slower powders felt a little softer, even though they weren't.  The muzzle rose higher.  I settled on e3, because it is not pressure spikey, has no temp sensitivity, burns cleanly and meters well.

 

I started with 180s, because that was what everyone used.  I went to 165s because the sights returned sooner.  That's really what I am looking for.  I tried 155s, but that gun didn't like them.

[Dirty_J]

I use shooters world Cleanshot. 
 

Loading 182gr Brass Monkey Bullets with 4.5gr

 

940fps avg - 171PF 

 

5 shot string: 

940

939

940

933

940

 

ES: 15

SD: 5

 

Extremely consistent powder. 

[Matt1911]

WST is all I’ve ever used for .40

[Gpghost]

Well you already squashed my favorite go to powder because yes it's a little dirty, but I have used WST and it works well, seems a little cleaner and is generally a cheaper powder to buy.

[open17]

N320-- more because I use it in 9 minor and I shoot a lot more 9 than 40.

I am a bit curious about the OP "burning through roughly 7,000 rounds using a pound of E3".  Wasn't aware that a 1.0 gr charge of E3 would make major.

[Obvious]

22 hours ago, open17 said:

N320-- more because I use it in 9 minor and I shoot a lot more 9 than 40.

I am a bit curious about the OP "burning through roughly 7,000 rounds using a pound of E3".  Wasn't aware that a 1.0 gr charge of E3 would make major.

Lmao you’re right, got my numbers mixed up in my head. Experimented with a lot of powders before settling on E3. I’ve done about 7000 reloads for .40, and with my current charge of 3.7 grains E3 it should be a smidge below 2000 rounds for a pound 

[obsessiveshooter]

Titegroup.  It's the OG powder for a reason.  I use it for .40, 9mm, 45acp in all loads.  It's dirtier than others, but an 8lb jug lasts a century, and it just works.  

[motosapiens]

sadly, the best powder in terms of consistency and recoil impulse (prima v or prima sv) is no longer available in the US. E3 is probably my next favorite, but I get a little more variation in speeds. Currently I still have 6 lbs of BA9.5, which feels very similar to n320, and I've used alot of n320 over the years. Several of my friends use N310, and I'll probably try that when I run out of the BA9.5.  All of these powders are pretty clean.

 

If you can't find any of them, then red dot, or titegroup, or wst, or accurate #2 or shooters world cleanshot, or ramshot competition, or most anything will work fine.

 

I pay about $160 for 4lbs of n310 or n320 locally, and it's about the same price online, you just have to buy more to make it worth the hazmat and shipping.

Edited May 1, 2023 by motosapiens

[Furrly]

Prima SV when it was avilable, N310 is all I use now. 

[ChuckS]

53 minutes ago, Furrly said:

Prima SV when it was avilable, N310 is all I use now. 

I used N310 and found that Ba10 was comparable. It was more (yup) consistent and I would get single digit SD using all kinds of range brass.  

[perttime]

Anybody willing to share recipies with N310?

It is a fast burning powder and you probably don't need much.

[xrayfk05]

This is wat SVI gave me :

 

180gr Jacketed Projectile
1.20 in OAL    (30.5mm)
4.7 - 4.8gr N310

 

Use at your own risk, it is on upper pressure limit.

I do not use fast powders like this myself.

[perttime]

21 minutes ago, xrayfk05 said:

Use at your own risk, it is on upper pressure limit.

I do not use fast powders like this myself.

 

I thought it might be.

N310 is about right for making Major in .45ACP with 230gr bullets. In .40 pressures can be on the high side.

[WmKerle]

When I was still shooting limited division my go to was 155gr Blue Bullets over e3.

[Baynewrady]

On 5/2/2023 at 12:55 AM, xrayfk05 said:

This is wat SVI gave me :

 

180gr Jacketed Projectile
1.20 in OAL    (30.5mm)
4.7 - 4.8gr N310

 

Use at your own risk, it is on upper pressure limit.

I do not use fast powders like this myself.

 

I've made and used this recipe. 180gr Xtreme plated bullet with 4.7gr N310, comes in very consistent at 170 pf +/- 1 pf. (using mixed brass and Ginex primers). Pretty soft compared to N320, but definitely approaching the pressure limit (every case fired showed the beginning signs of primer blowback).